MC Alger face Enugu Rangers in CAF Champions League battle for group-stage place

MC Alger must overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit when they host Enugu Rangers on Friday, 23 October at 19:00 GMT, with a three-goal victory required to reach the CAF Champions League group stage.

The Algerian club will play at the Ali-Ammar Stadium in Douera knowing there is little margin for error after their defeat in Nigeria. A 3-0 win would secure qualification and revive one of the most memorable comebacks in the club’s history.

MC Alger will be without captain Ayoub Abdellaoui, who is injured, while defender Oussama Benhaoua is suspended. The absences mean the home side’s coach will have to make changes to his starting line-up as they attempt to overturn the tie.

Enugu Rangers, meanwhile, are expected to adopt a compact defensive shape and look to threaten on the counter-attack as they aim to protect their advantage. The Nigerian side’s approach will put the emphasis on MC Alger to break through without leaving space at the other end.

The fixture has brought back memories of 1976, when MC Alger overturned the same opponent with a 3-0 victory in Algiers. That result remains a significant part of the club’s history and offers a clear precedent for the task facing them this time.

Fifty years on, the Algerian supporters will hope the meeting with Enugu Rangers produces another decisive comeback and sends MC Alger into the group stage.